Summary of "Ibanez Talman TMB30 Short Scale Bass - Budget Shorty Comes Up a Bit Short - LowEndLobster Review"
Product Reviewed
Ibanez Talman TMB30 short-scale bass — a budget “Talman” model (noted as one of the cheapest short-scale basses from a mainstream brand).
Key Features Mentioned
Form / Appearance
- Talman shape, described as a blend of a Jaguar and a less-Paul-ish look
- Available in vintage off-white, black, and mint green
Pickups / Controls (PJ Layout)
- Ibanez Dynamics P: split-coil P pickup
- Ibanez Dynamics J: single-coil J pickup
- Passive electronics (explicitly no active preamp)
- Contrasts with full-scale Talman models that the reviewer claims use a 2-band active preamp
- Controls: Volume / Volume / Tone
- Tone knob behavior:
- The reviewer says it acts almost like an on/off switch
- Around 50%, sound is nearly the same as 100%
- The reviewer mainly demonstrates tone fully open vs fully closed
Neck / Playability
- 20-fret maple neck
- “Joba” fingerboard
- 41 mm nut width
- D-shaped, “fatter” neck profile
- 9.5” radius (more vintage-style than some flatter radii on certain Soundgear models)
Hardware
- High-quality bridge for the price
- String-height saddle adjustments with features described as limiting side-to-side movement
- Paddle headstock (large; described as love/hate)
- Large, heavy Ibanez tuners
- Neck dive is a known Talman issue and is confirmed on this unit
Build / Weight
- Made in Indonesia
- Passive back: no battery box / no control cavity
- Approx. 8 lb for the reviewed unit
- Light enough “for a short scale,” but neck-heavy balance still causes issues
Accessories / What’s Included
- No case included
- Budget pricing: “you don’t get any sort of case or anything”
Sound / Performance Observations
Overall Tonal Character
- Pickups described as leaning bright and high output
Tone Knob Behavior (Major Criticism)
- With tone at 50%, sound is said to be almost identical to 100%
- The reviewer mainly compares fully open vs fully closed
P Pickup (Split-Coil P)
- Very powerful and rich
- With tone all the way down:
- described as a nice fat vintage tone (where it “shines”)
- Picking/slapping works well with higher output
- Lowering pickup height is described as not easy (or pickups resisted adjustment)
J Pickup (Single-Coil J)
- With tone open:
- bright and “messy”
- With tone down:
- sounds better than open, but still not preferred
- Hum/noise expectations:
- single-coil hum likely in noisy environments (and mentioned)
Both Pickups Together
- With tone open:
- “not too bad” when picked
- With tone down:
- again tied to the idea that tone down gets fatter
User Experience / Ergonomics
- Poor balance: significant neck dive both with and without a strap
- Heavy hardware impact:
- heavy tuners + large headstock reportedly “pull out my shirt”
- Body comfort:
- body shape is “decently comfortable,” but the weighty neck reduces enjoyment
- Suggested use case:
- positioned as a short-scale beginner option, though the reviewer argues better choices exist
Price and Comparisons
Price
- About $229
- described as unusually low for mainstream short-scale options
Comparisons Mentioned
- The reviewer plans to compare it later to a stock Harley Benton Mustang
- Also compared to pricing of:
- Squier Bronco
- Harley Benton Mustangs
Market Context
- Reviewer claims the under-$500 short-scale market is very hot
- This model is said to not stand out enough
Pros (From the Review)
- Good hardware / bridge quality for the price
- 20-fret neck + vintage-style 9.5” radius
- High-output split-P pickup with usable fat vintage tone when tone is turned down
- Decent short-scale weight (~8 lb), though balance is still poor
- Passive simplicity (no battery box)
Cons (From the Review)
- Major neck dive (“serious” and persistent even with a strap)
- Tone knob acts like an on/off switch (50% doesn’t meaningfully change tone)
- Overall tone overly bright
- especially with the J pickup and/or tone open
- J pickup hum / noisy single-coil issues mentioned
- Ergonomics suffer due to balance
- Budget misses the mark on component choices
- No case included
Ratings
- Overall rating: 2 claws out of 5
Unique Points / Summary of Distinct Claims
- Very budget-friendly mainstream short-scale (among Ibanez’s cheapest short scales).
- PJ set: split-P + single-J, passive.
- Passive design contrasts with full-scale Talman models allegedly having active 2-band preamps.
- Tone control behaves basically on/off; 50% ≈ 100%.
- P pickup is powerful/rich and best as fat vintage tone with tone fully down.
- J pickup sounds bright/messy with tone open; likely hum/noisy in real environments.
- Both pickups are “not too bad” with tone open (when picked), while tone down generally improves character.
- Bridge/saddle area described as surprisingly premium for the price.
- Neck specs: 20-fret maple, 41 mm nut, D-shaped profile, 9.5” radius.
- Large paddle headstock + heavy tuners contribute to severe neck dive.
- Made in Indonesia; passive back with no cavities/battery box.
- Weight around 8 lb.
- Strap doesn’t fix neck dive (balance still pulls down).
- Price about $229; compared against Squier Bronco and Harley Benton Mustang pricing.
- No case included.
- Reviewer suggests there are better short-scale options under $500; this one doesn’t deliver enough.
Speakers / Separate Views
- Single primary speaker: (Lobster / LowEndLobster)
- All major pros/cons, sound demos, balance testing, and the final numeric rating come from this reviewer.
Concise Verdict / Recommendation
Not recommended as a top-value budget short-scale despite nice bridge/build details and a strong split-P pickup. The reviewer’s biggest deal-breakers are severe neck dive and a tone knob that doesn’t function smoothly, resulting in an overall overly bright and awkward playing experience.
Rating: 2/5 claws.
Category
Product Review
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